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MASON AND DIXON'S LINE. 


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I 

I‘The Old Survey and the Old Surveyors/’—“The Days of Old in 

Kittle York.” 


BY JY BARN1TZ BACON, OF NEW YORK, 
(Formerly of York, Pa.) 


[In June, 1858, J. Barnitz Bacon, Esq., of New York, (a native 
!>f York, Pa.,) contributed to the Herald of that city, an original pa- 
J'jer of great interest, under the title of “Mason and Dixon’s Line.” 
—“The Days of Old in Little York—Lord Baltimore and the Penn 
family—-The Star-Gazer’s Stone—The Old Survey and the Old 
purveyors'—Bancroft Corrected—The Devolution—Port Washing¬ 
ton—Col. James D. Graham’s Survey.” As the papers containing 
f in article of so much value have almost entirely disappeared, and 
as most of the matter of local interest to Adams county readers was 
never given anywhere else, it comes with an appeal for rescue from 
undeserved oblivion, which the editor of the Compiler meets with 
i a determination to print in neat pamphlet form, as most convenient 
| 'or reference and most certain of preservation. With this short but 
lull-sufficient preface, the author is introduced to the reader:] 

In olden days, York, Pennsylvania, was the only town of note 
West of the Susquehanna and north of Baltimore. Its inhabitants 
Were conspicuous for enterprise^ intelligence and refinement, and 


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>{H 13 ^ 


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MASON AND DIXON’S DINE. 


remarkable for those old-fashioned notions of honor and patriotism 
which we, of to-day, so often prate of but so seldom practice. The 
population was principally of German origin, (some of them from 
Alzei, in the Old Pfalz or Palatinate of Germany,) and a large pro¬ 
portion of the Scotch-Irish immigration. 

York was the home of many of the prominent men of the Revolu¬ 
tion, such as Hon. James Smith, a signer of the Declaration of In 
dependence; Gen. James Ewing, Gen. Henry Miller, Col. Thomas 
Hartley, Col. Robert McPherson, Maj. David Bush, killed at Bran¬ 
dywine ; Maj. John Clark, aid-de-camp to Gen. Greene, and others. 
It was then known as York Town, or more familiarly as “Little 
York,” to distinguish it from its greater namesake, Hew York. 
The American Congress was in session here from September 30 
1777, till June 27, 1778, while the British army held possession o: 
Philadelphia. 

Previous to the Revolution, it was noted as the centre where were 
organized the surveying parties who ran the lines between the pro 
vinces of Maryland and Pennsylvania, in 1760-63, and who finally 
from 1763 to 1768, aided in carrying out the decree of James II. 
which was the basis of settlement between the conflicting claims o 
Lord Baltimore and William Penn to the adjoining portions of th 
above named provinces. 

For nearly eighty years, from 1683 to 1760, the border wars 
these colonies had been waged with fierce obstinacy on each side 



on the one, the Catholic gentleman of Maryland, gallant, brave and 
impetuous, his battle cry, “Hey for St. Marie’s l” on the other, the 
stern, uncompromising Puritan, shouting as he fought, “In the name 
of God, fall on I” (a) 

In 1722 the Penns began to push their settlements west of the 
Susquehanna, and laid out Springettsbury manor, (in which York- | 
town is situated), in the present county of York, with a view, by/ 
granting titles, to occupy the debated ground against the encroach¬ 
ments then already commenced, of the Baltimore colonists. 

The famous Capt. Thomas Cresap was a noted champion of Mary- 





MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


3 


land in those days, and was a squatter at Wright’s Ferry, on the 
west bank of the Susquehanna. The details of the celebrated fight 
at that place, of himself and son, (afterwards Captain Michael Cre- 
sap, the slayer of Logan, the Mingo chief,) with the Pennsylvani¬ 
ans in 1739, in which Thomas Cresap was captured, and led, a fet¬ 
tered but defiant captive, in triumphal procession into Lancaster, 
possess a romantic interest. 

So fierce became the strife on the borders of these settlements that 
at last, in 1760, Frederick, Lord Baltimore (the great-grandson of 
Cecilius Calvert) and Thomas and Bichard Penn (the grandsons of ' 
William Penn) each named commissioners to carry into effect the 
decrees, the execution of which, upon various pretexts, had been de¬ 
layed for so many years. 

In 1739 the first commission had been organized to run a tempo¬ 
rary line dividing the provinces, but their labors were interrupted, 
and the results were not satisfactory. 

The principal surveyors of lp60-63, as appears from the names 
subscribed each day to the minutes on file in the archives at Anna¬ 
polis, were John Lukens and Archibald McClean on the part of the 
Penns, and Thomas Garnett and Jonathan Hall on the part of Lord 
Baltimore. John F. A. Priggs afterwards held Garnett’s position. 
Their assistants were Archibald Emory, John Watson, John Stap¬ 
ler and William Shankland, together with a number of McCleans, 
as will be further seen. 

The duties of these surveyors, in accordance with the agreement 
of the Proprietaries, and a decree of James II., and of Lord Chancel¬ 
lor Hardwicke in 1750, were as follows: “To begin at Cape Henlo- 
pen (6) and run a line due west to a point midway between that 
Cape and the shore of Chesapeake Bay.” (The distance of this line 
across the peninsula was found to be 69 miles and 298 perches, and, 
of course, the distance of the “middle point” was 34 miles and 309 
perches.) 

From this “middle point” a line was to be run northerly in such 
direction that it should be tangent to a circle whose centre was de- 



\ ^ 


.'yi'B*, 


2 


MASON AND DIXON S LINE. 


remarkable for those old-fashioned notions of honor and patriotism 
which we, of to-day, so often prate of but so seldom practice. The 
population was principally of German origin, (some of them from* 
Alzei, in the Old Pfalz or Palatinate of Germany,) and a large pro- 
portion of the Scotch-Irish immigration. 

York was the home of many of the prominent men of the Revolu¬ 
tion, such as Hon. James Smith, a signer of the Declaration of In A 
dependence; Gen. James Ewing, Gen. Henry Miller, Col. Thomas 
Hartley, Col. Robert McPherson, Maj. David Bush, killed at Bran¬ 
dywine ; Maj. John Clark, aid-de-camp to Gen. Greene, and others. 
It was then known as York Town, or more familiarly as “Little 
York,” to distinguish it from its greater namesake, New York. 
The American Congress was in session here from September 30. j 
1777, till June 27, 1778, while the British army held possession o. 
Philadelphia. 


Previous to the Revolution, it was noted as the centre where were 
organized the surveying parties who ran the lines between the pro¬ 
vinces of Maryland and Pennsylvania, in 1760-63, and who finally 
from 1763 to 1768, aided in carrying out the decree - of James II. 
which was the basis of settlement between the conflicting claims o 
Lord Baltimore and William Penn to the adjoining portions of tli 
above named provinces. 



For nearly eighty years, from 1683 to 1760, the border wars o\ 
these colonies had been waged with fierce obstinacy on each side—) 
on the one, the Catholic gentleman of Maryland, gallant, brave and 
impetuous, his battle cry, “Hey for St. Marie’s I” on the other, the 
stern, uncompromising Puritan, shouting as he fought, “In the name 
of God, fall on l” (a) 


In 1722 the Penns began to push their settlements west of the 
Susquehanna, and laid out Springettsbury manor, (in which York- I 
town is situated), in the present county of York, with a view, b\iJ 
granting titles, to occupy the debated ground against the encroach-' 
ments then already commenced, of the Baltimore colonists. 

The famous Capt. Thomas Cresap was a noted champion of Mary- 



Smirce Ukaom 








mason and dixon’s line. 


3 


land in those days, and was a squatter at Wright’s Ferry, on the 
west bank of the Susquehanna. The details of the celebrated fight 
at that place, of himself and son, (afterwards Captain Michael Cre- 
sap, the slayer of Logan, the Mingo chief,) with the Pennsylvani¬ 
ans in 1739, in which Thomas Cresap was captured, and led, a fet¬ 
tered but defiant captive, in triumphal procession into Lancaster, 
possess a romantic interest. 

So fierce became the strife on the borders of these settlements that 
at last, in 1760, Frederick, Lord Baltimore (the great-grandson of 
Cecilius Calvert) and Thomas and Bichard Penn (the grandsons of ' 
William Penn) each named commissioners to carry into effect the 
decrees, the execution of which, upon various pretexts, had been de¬ 
layed for so many years. 

In 1739 the first commission had been organized to run a tempo¬ 
rary line dividing the provinces, but their labors were interrupted, 
and the results were not satisfactory. 

The principal surveyors of lp60-63, as appears from the names 
subscribed each day to the minutes on file in the archives at Anna¬ 
polis, were John Lukens and Archibald McClean on the part of the 
Penns, and Thomas Garnett and Jonathan Hall on the part of Lord 
Baltimore. John F. A. Priggs afterwards held Garnett’s position. 
Their assistants were Archibald Emory, John Watson, John Stap¬ 
ler and William Shankland, together with a number of McCleans, 
as will be further seen. 

The duties of these surveyors, in accordance with the agreement 
of the Proprietaries, and a decree of James II., and of Lord Chancel¬ 
lor Hardwicke in 1750, were as follows: “To begin at Cape Henlo- 
pen (6) and run a line due west to a point midway between that 
Cape and the shore of Chesapeake Bay.” (The distance of this line 
across the peninsula was found to be 69 miles and 298 perches, and, 
of course, the distance of the “middle point” was 34 miles and 309 
perches.) 

From this “middle point” a line was to be run northerly in such 
direction that it should be tangent to a circle whose centre was de- 



4 


MASON AND DIXON'S LINE. 


cided to be the centre of the Court-House at New Castle, Delaware, 
and whose radius should be twelve English statute miles, measured 
horizontally. From the tangent point of contact of the northerly 
line with the periphery of the circle the line was to be continued 
due north, until it should reach a point fifteen English statute miles, 
measured horizontally, south of the parallel of latitude of the most 
southern part of Philadelphia. 

From the northern extremity of the said due north line, a line 
was to be run due west, continuing upon a parallel of latitude, until 
the western limits of Pennsylvania and Maryland should respect-- 
ively be reached, which was defined to be five degrees of longitude 
west of the River Delaware. 

Also, that in case said due north line, from the tangent of the cir¬ 
cle of New Castle, shall break in upon the said circle, in such case 
so much of the said circle as shall be cut off by the said line shall 
belong to and be part of the county of New Castle. (See Col. Gra¬ 
ham’s report.) The above mentioned northerly line from the “mid¬ 
dle point” to the tangent point was found to be eighty-one miles, 
seventy-eight chains and thirty links. 

The commissioners and surveyors met at New Castle on the 19th 
November, 1760, and soon afterwards commenced their operations. 
In order to ascertain the probable course of the northerly line, they 
ran a due north experimental line through the forest from the “mid¬ 
dle point” of the peninsula (which they had ascertained) until they 
arrived at a point nearly opposite New Castle. This line was about 
eighty miles in length. Then diverging on a line to New Castle, 
they were able to calculate the approximate course of their norther¬ 
ly line, which they then proceeded to run from the same “middle 
point.” Then, having surveyed their twelve mile radius from New , 
Castle Court-House, they fixed the Tangent Point. 

It is evident that in these preliminary operations, running through 
primeval woods, over a large extent of country, and measuring by 
chain and (over rough ground) with a rod, these early surveyors; 
labored under many disadvantages. Born and Brought up in ouj 




mason ANi) dixon’s line. 


5 


forests, like the young surveyor George Washington, while they 
were not lacking in the necessary mathematical knowledge, and 
in the theory and practice of their profession, they were yet in 
possession of only those common instruments used in the sim- 
pie surveys of the settlements. The compass, chain and staff' 
were their principal resources. When the long straight lines 
on the peninsula Were to be run, after cutting broad vistos (so called 
by the surveyors, and also by Mason & Dixon, as well as by Maske- 
lyne, the astronomer royal) (c) through the forests, they ran their 
straight lines by sighting along several poles placed in advance, in* 
j tending to locate the lines between the established points more care- 
1 fully at some more convenient time. 

And thus they established the Tangent Point. 

The work occupied them for nearly three years. But the mag¬ 
nates of the day, like many now-a*days, imagined there was not 
science and energy enough at home, and so, on the 4th August, 1763,' 
the Penns and Lord Baltimore employed, in England, Charles Ma¬ 
son and Jeremiah Dixon, two mathematicians and surveyors, to 
take charge of the work. They arrived in Philadelphia November 
15, received their instructions from the Commissioners December 
1, 1763, and proceeded to the work assigned them, in connection 
vith some of the old surveyors. 

They brought with them a full supply of the best instruments of 
hat day ; among others, for astronomical observations, an excellent 
.ector, of six feet radius, “which magnified twenty-five times,” be- 
onging to Hori. Mr, Penn, “the first which ever had the plumb line 
>assing over and bisecting a point at the centre of the instrument.” 
d ) They brought also excellent standard chains, and a brass 
tandard measure, of five feet, provided by the Royal Society. 

Bancroft speaks of Mason and Dixon as having run the line in 
i' 761. It was not commenced by them till 1764, and not completed 
y them until 1767, and not finally marked untill 1768. See Ban- 
- roft, vol. II., p. 396. (Latrobe’s address.) 

Mason and Dixon first proceeded to determine the latitude of the 





MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


0 


southernmost point of the city of Philadelphia, which was “the 
north wall of the house then occupied by Thomas Plumstead and 
Joseph Huddle, on the south side of Cedar street.” 

It is recorded in their journal that in November, 1863, they em¬ 
ployed a carpenter to construct an observatory in the south part of 
Philadelphia. On the 6th of January, 1764, they determined its 
latitude, 39 deg. 56 min. 29 secs. N. This was the first astronomical 
calculation and the first observatory in America.— Latrobe’s Address. 

They then carefully examined the various lines run by their 
predecessors, which they adopted as correct. Hon. J. II. B. La- 
trobe, in his address before the Pennsylvania Historical Society in 
1854, remarks :— 

So far as the work of the old surveyors went, Mason and Dixon 
do not seem to have mended it; for they record in their proceed¬ 
ings of November 13, 1764, that the true tangent line, as ascertain¬ 
ed by themselves, “would not pass one inch to the westward or east¬ 
ward” of the post marked the tangent point set in the ground by 
those whom they superseded. 

In the autumn of 1764 they ran their parallel of latitude west to 
the Susquehanna, thus commencing the famous line which bears 
their name, and which is now the boundary between Pennsylvania 
and Maryland. 

In 1764-5 they ran the line due north from the tangent point to 
the northeast corner of Maryland, and in. 1765 described such por¬ 
tion of the semicircle around New Castle as enabled them to fix the 
point which is now the point of intersection of the three States. 
They then, beginning where they had left off'at the Susquehanna, 
continued their line due west. On the 27th of October they had 
reached the North Mountain. 

On the 4th of June, 1766, they were at the summit of the Little 
Alleghany, and at the end of their summer’s work. The Indians 
were now troublesome, and they were masters in the woods.— La¬ 
trobe’s Address. 

The Six Nations had come down from the north, about 1680, and 
conquered their less warlike neighbors of the Lenni-Lenape. The 
Delawares and the Susquehannocks, Ganocse, and other Indians in 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


i 


Southern- Pennsylvania, in their treaties always acknowledged the 
Six Nations as the possessors of that territory at that time. A ne¬ 
gotiation with the northern Indians was therefore necessary, which 
Sir William Johnson successfully conducted, and in May, 17G7, sent 
to the surveyors a delegation of Indians, with permission from the 
Six Nations to continue their surveys, and as an escort to protect 
them against the roving savages of the South. 

On the 8th of June they recommenced their line at the Little Al¬ 
leghany. On the 14th they had advanced as far as the summit of 
the Great Alleghany, where they were joined by their escort of 
fourteen Indians, with an interpreter. Mason and Dixon now had 
with them some thirty surveyors and fifteen axemen, besides the In¬ 
dians. Mr. Latrobe says :— 

The Indian escort seem to have had some vague apprehensions 
in regard to the results of all this gazing into the heavens and meas¬ 
uring upon the earth, and to have become restless and dissatisfied, 
and on the 25th of August the surveyors wrote that “Mr. John 
Green, one of the chiefs of the Mohawk nation, and his nephew, 
leave them in order to return to their own country.” The roving 
Indians of the wilderness began also to give the party of white men 
uneasiness, and on the 29th of September twenty-six of the survey¬ 
ors quit the work for fear of the Sliawnees. At length they reach 
a point 244 miles from the Delaware, and within 36 miles of the 
whole distance to be run. And here, in the bottom of a valley, on 
the borders of a stream marked Dunkard creek on their map, they 
come to an Indian war path, winding its way through the forest. 
And here their Indian escort tell them that it is the will of the Six 
Nations that the surveys should be stayed. There is no alternative ; 
and retracing their steps, they return to Philadelphia ; and, report¬ 
ing to the Commissioners, receive an honorable discharge on 26th 
December, 1767. 

The following extract from an original manuscript diary in pos¬ 
session of a gentleman of this city refers to the escort named above: 

New York, Friday, 13th Dec., 1767. 

This day came to town from Philadelphia eleven Mohawk Indi¬ 
ans, who left Sir William Johnson’s the 25th of May last, and went 
down the Susquehanna to Ham’s ferry, where Hugh Crawford, their 
conductor, joined them. ’Tis said that the day after their arrival 



8 


MASON AND LINON’s LINE. 


there three of the Mohawk chiefs were met by accident by the 
Cherokees, who thereupon very ceremoniously offered and smoked 
with them the calumet of peace. 

On the 19th of June last the Mohawks went to Yorktown, Pa., 
and afterwards proceeded with two surveyors (Mr. Mason and Mr. 
Dixon) to run the line between Lord Baltimore and Mr. Penn. As 
they run this line through the Indians’ lands, Sir William thought 
proper to send these Indian chiefs down. The famous Hendrick is 
among them, and some other principal head men of the Mohawk 
nation, who, finding the winter coming on, left the surveyors, in or-* 
der to return home this way. 

The remainder of the line was run by other surveyors in 1782, 
but not completed nor marked till 1784. Mr. Latrobe says:— 

At the end of every fifth mile a stone was planted, graven with 
the arms of the Penn family on one side, and of Lord Baltimore on 
the other. The intermediate miles were marked with smaller 
stones, having an M on one side and a P on the other. The stones 
were all sent from England. This was done as far as Sideling Hill, 
but here all wheel transportation ceasing in 1766, the further mark¬ 
ing was the vista, eight yards wide, with piles of stone on the crests 
of all the mountain ranges, built eight feet high, as far as the sum¬ 
mit of the Alleghany, beyond which the line was marked with posts, 
around which stones and earth w'ere thrown. 

Mason and Dixon, while here, also took the opportunity to meas- 
use a degree of latitude, using the long tangent line in Delaware 
for that purpose. They found the length of a degree of latitude in 
the provinces of Pennsylvania and Maryland, mean latitude of 39 12, 
to be 363,771 feet, or 68:896 English statute miles. 

They were allowed during their surveys twenty-one shillings each 
per day. The commissioners appear to have settled with them, 
without repudiating any portion of their pay—a fact which should 
be commended to the imitation of commissioners now-a-days. 

The amount paid by the Penns alone under these proceedings, 
from 1760 to 1768, was £34,200, Pennsylvania currency, (e) 

Mason and Dixon returned to England, and were subsequently 
elected members of the Royal Society. Mason was an assistant of 
Dr. Bradley at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich before he 
came to America, 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


G 


After their operations here they were employed under the direc¬ 
tion of the Royal Society to observe the transit of Venus across the 
sun at the Cape of Good Hope in 17C9—(Latrobe). Mason died in 
Pennsylvania in 1787—(Encyciop. Americana). 

Dixon died at Durham, England, in 1777—(Lalande Bib io- 
graphie Astronomique, p. 50 ; quoted in Biographie Universelle, 
* “Mason,” where it is said, on the same authority, “que Dixon etait 
ne dans un mine de char bon.”) 

The following letter is characteristic of their style, and also refers 
to one of the old surveyors who was associated with them :— 

Sir —According to your desire, mentioned to Mr. Dixon at Ches- 
tertown, we have compared the sums of money paid by the Right 
Honorable Lord Baltimore and the Honorable Thomas and Rich¬ 
ard Penn, Esqs., (toward dividing the provinces) to us and Mr. Mc- 
Lane since our arrival in America, and find on the whole that we 
have received £615 more of the proprietors of Pensilvania than of 
Lord Baltimore. We expect you wi 1 please to send £600 or £700, 
that Mr. McLane may receive it at Frederick Town (as you pro¬ 
posed) the 24th of this month, we having no cash to proceed with. 
We are, sir, vour most obedient humble servants. 

ClIAS. MASON, 

The North Mountain, April 14,1766. JER. DIXON. 

P. S.—Besides the above balance, the Pensylvania proprietors 
have paid for erecting the observatory at Philadelphia, and carriage 
to Brandiwine, &c., &c. 

To T. Ridout, Esq., Secretary to his Excellency Horatio Sharpe, 
Esq., Governor of Maryland, at Annapolis. 

the modern survey. 

In 1849 the stone at the northeast corner of Maryland having 
been removed, and a desire being manifested to have the former 
surveys revised, commissioners were appointed by the States of Del¬ 
aware, Maryland and Pennsylvania, who called to their aid Lieut 
Col. James D. Graham, of the United States Topographical Engi¬ 
neers. “Col. Graham’s work, in 1849 50, corroborated, in all impor¬ 
tant particulars, the work of his predecessors. Some errors were 
discovered, however. The tangent point had been placed 157 feet 



10 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


too far to the north, and the point of intersection of the three States 
143 feet too far to the south.”—(Latrobe.) This affected merely the 
arc of the circle reaching into Maryland, and resulted in flattening 
the arc and making the State of Maryland one acre and eighty-seven 
hundredths larger than Mason and Dixon left the province of the 
same name. (See Col. Graham’s admirable report of the survey to 
the commissioners of the three States) The other lines were 
found to be correct. 

Among the ignorant and superstitious this neighborhood of the 
twelve mile circle round New Castle was always connected with an 
idea of some wierd and secret charm. The circle was a magic cir¬ 
cle ; the astronomers were like the magii of old. The armorial 
bearings on the stones had a mysterious meaning. The quartzose 
stone at the forks of the Brandywine, where many observations of 
the stars were taken, was then, and is to this day, called the “star¬ 
gazers’ stone.” In 1768 the stone at the “middle point” of the 
peninsula was taken up in search of the hidden treasure of Captain 
Kyd; and in the trial of the pretended sorcerer, Dr. Dady, and 
others, in the Lancaster and York courts, in 1797, for swindling, 
the spirit dated his oracles from “thirteen miles from New Castle, 
Delaware.” 

It seems as if some spirit of ill omen hovered around the spot 
where this “line of peace” was to begin, and prophecied “there 
shall be no peace!” And has it not been so ? 

THE OLD SURVEYORS. 

The writer has thought it due to the memory of the old surveyors 
who were engaged on these important lines, to preserve such me¬ 
morials of their history and fate as could be collected. 

John Lukens, a native of Horsham, Philadelphia county, “served 
his time” with Nicholas Scull. “Scnll resided at an early period 
at White Marsh, fourteen miles north of Philadelphia, on the pro¬ 
perty now known as Scheetz’s Mill. lie spoke fluently several In¬ 
dian languages, and was considered in his time the most skillful 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


11 


surveyor in the Province.” He was appointed Surveyor General 
in the beginning of the year 1748, and continued in office until De¬ 
cember, 1761, when he was succeeded by John Lukens, who was 
Surveyor General of Pennsylvania up to 1785 and probably longer. 
Vol. 1., Penna. Hist. Soc. 

Of John Watson a communication to the above society records 
thus:— 

John Watson, after the death of his father, was sent to school, 
and procured a greater stock of learning than was common to those 
times. He became the Deputy Surveyor of this county (Bucks), 
and by the force of a suitable docility of mind and quickness of per¬ 
ception, rather than from constant application, he acquired among 
learned men the character of a great scholar. At the time of his 
decease (in 1761) he was employed in running the line between 
Pennsylvania and Maryland. Being seized with influenza, and 
having taken cold while in a fever, and in extremely hot weather, 
he rode upwards of sixty miles in a day, to William Blackfan’s, 
where he died. 

(See also his obituary in the Pennsylvania (Philadelphia'! Gazette 
of July 0, 1761.) ^ * 

Of Archibald McClean’s family records and public documents af¬ 
ford a more extended memorial. Previous to or at the time of the 

♦ 

partial dispersion of the Highland clans in the rebellion of 1716, 
a portion of the clan McLean sought a home in Ireland. The father 
of Archibald was born there, and, with many of his clansmen, emi¬ 
grated to America at an early age. After some years the McLeans, 
or—as this branch wrote their names—McCleans, with the Mc¬ 
Phersons, McAlisters, McSherrys and others, found a home on the 
banks of Marsh Creek, then in York, now in Adams county, Penn¬ 
sylvania, hear the eastern slope of the South Mountain. Here they 
lived and died, cherishing their old Scottish memories and customs 
to the last. The “Flowers of Edinboro’ ” and “Shelty’s Pipes” 
never failed to brighten the dimmed eye and quicken the feeble 
pulse of age to the third generation. The tomb of the eldest 
born always bore the armorial bearings of the family up to 
the period of the Revolution. The “cat and glove” of the Me- 




12 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


Pherson may still be traced through the moss of years. Said an 
aged gudewife to the writer, “if ye’ll be ridin’ by Mash Creek bury- 
in ground, ye’ll see a liunder McCleans restin’ side by side.” They 
were all stout Presbyterians. 

The McClean who came from Ireland begat seven sons, viz: Ar¬ 
chibald, Moses, William, Samuel, John, Janies and Alexander. 
They were all surveyors, and all engaged as assistants to Archibald, 
at different periods, on the early surveys we have mentioned, and 
also on Mason and Dixon’s line. 

Archibald and Moses became Deputy Surveyors respectively, of 
the eastern and western portions of York county, which then com¬ 
prised that portion of Pennsylvania extending from the Susquehan¬ 
na Avest to Kittattany Mountains, (Indian, Kittochtinny.) Some 
time previous to the Revolution they laid out Carroll’s Tract, a 
large body of land belonging to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, ex¬ 
tending along the South Mountain, from the Maryland line north¬ 
ward for ten or fifteen miles. In this tract Archibald and William 
possessed fine farms. It was then on the borders of civilization. 
The belles of Yorktown, of that day, thought it fine sport to ride up 
to these “back settlements,” (exposed, as they were, to the attacks 
of the Inclians,) nearly fifty miles, on horseback, in a single day. 
Of such stern stuff were our Revolutionary matrons made. 

We must here remark, that the late Rev. Dr. John Knox, of the 
Collegiate R. P. Dutch church in this city, was a native of Carroll’s 
Tract. 

James Buchanan, (fifteenth President of the United States,) was 
born but a few miles on the other (western) side of the mountain. 
The strong, sound common sense of the Scotcli-Irish population of 
that region ranked them, as in other days, and will ever enlist them 
among the truest conservators of the republic. 

All the McCleans were early and enthusiastic defenders of the 
liberties of their country. Col. Allen McLean, of Torleish, a half 
pay officer in the British army in Canada, endeavored in 1776 to 
raise a regiment of Highland emigrants, and sent emissaries to the 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE; 


IS 


Scotch settlements in the colonies, to procure their enlistment in the 
cause of the king. But they could not forget Culloden, and repelled 
his offers with disdain. 

Archibald became a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature in 
1776, and was Recorder of York county from 1777 till 1785. (/) 

On the shelves of the New York Historical Society is the only 
extant printed copy of a pamphlet, which is pertinent to our subject, 
and exhibits the embarrassments and customs of the time. We 
therefore copy it entire. In was printed at Lancaster, because there 
was then no press west of the Susquehanna, the press (Hall & Sel¬ 
lers’) which accompanied Congress having left Yorktown with that 
body the preceding year. 

The money power of England had been exercised, through the 
tories resident in the colonies, to depreciate the value of continental 
money, and to embarrass and break the independent spirit of the 
patriots. This w r ill account for the energetic action and strong lan¬ 
guage embodied in these resolutions and address :— 

York, 18th June, 1779. 

A meeting of the inhabitants of this town, being formerly called 
to consider of prudent and effectual measures for putting a stop to 
forestalling, extortion, and the depreciation of the continental cur¬ 
rency, it was agreed that a committee should be appointed to draw 
up resolves for that purpose, and transmit the same to the several 
battalions of this county for their concurrence, and that deputies 
from the said battalions, properly authorized and instructed, should 
be appointed to meet with the said committee of the town, to con¬ 
sider of proper measures for the carrying the same into execution. 

At a meeting of the committee of York Town and the deputies 
from the Second, Sixth and Eighth battalions of the militia of 
York county, present as follows: 

For Yorktown. 

Henry Miller, John Hay, Wm. Alexander, Robert Galbreath, 
Wooleree Meng, Christopher Lauman, Peter Mondorf, Robert Hen¬ 
ry, David Jameson, William Scott, Archibald McClean. 

For the Second Battalion. 

Thomas Gould and James Sharp. 

For the Fifth Battalion. 

Colonel Joseph Jeffries and Captain John Erman. 



14 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


For the Sixth Battalion. 

Colonel Wm. Eos*, Captain Joseph Keed, Joseph Reed, Ferry¬ 
man, Wm. Gemble, Andrew Thompson, John Thompson and Nich¬ 
olas Strehr. 

For the Eighth Battalion. 

Major John Clark, John Henderson, John Ilinckle, Andrew 
Shriber and Jacob Rudisel. 

Archibald McClean voted chairman for the present meeting 1 . 

The resolves of the town meeting of Philadelphia were read, and 
we concur with them in opinion. 

That the prices of goods and provisions have, within the space of 
five or six months last past, arisen to an enormous hight, far beyond 
what they ought to be, in proportion to the quantity of the money 
or the circumstances of the times. 

1st, Resolved, That the public have a right to inquire into the 
causes of such extraordinary abuses, and prevent them; that the 
prices of all goods and necessaries of life, in the last month, without 
any real or apparent cause, have arisen very considerebly, and it is 
our resolution not to be eaten up by monopolizers and forestalled; 
therefore, 

2dly, Resolved, That we unconditionally insist and demand that 
the advanced or monopolized prices of the month last past, and of 
this month, be instantly taken off, and that the prices of those arti¬ 
cles be reduced to what they were the first day of May last. 

3dly, Resolved, That a committee of three or more reputable 
persons from each battalion be appointed (where the same is not 
already done), who shall meet together at York Town on the 28th 
day the instant, June, to ascertain the retail prices of all goods and 
necessaries of life as they stood on the first day of May last, and to 
publish the same for the government of buyer and seller, and to re¬ 
ceive in writing all complaints against such dealers as may refuse 
to comply with or obstruct the execution of this regulation, and re¬ 
port the same to the next district meeting. 

4thly, Resolved,, That we will support the committee in the ex¬ 
ecution of their duty, encourage fair and honest commerce, and sup¬ 
press to the utmost of our power, and at the hazard of our lives, en¬ 
grossing, monopolizing, forestalling and depreciation. 

5thly, Resolved, That it is the interest of town and country to 
concur in measures for the mutual relief of both ; that the proceed¬ 
ings of this committee be transcribed and sent to the several districts 
of this county for their consideration and assistance therein. 

fithlv, Resolved, That this meeting will support the laws of this 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


15 


Commonwealth, and aid the civil magistrates and officers in the ex¬ 
ecution thereof, and the assistance of the several districts in this 
county is requested for this purpose. 

7thly, Resolved, That no goods, or any of the necessaries of life 
he removed for sale into any district, county or State that does not 
enter into these or similar resolutions, and that the committee be 
authorized to seize any goods or provisions so removed, or attempt¬ 
ed to be removed, except they be for supplying the army. 

8thly, Resolved, unanimously, That our representatives in Gen¬ 
eral Assembly be instructed to use their endeavors to procure a law 
at their next sitting, founded on justice and sound policy, for pre¬ 
venting in future the sale or passing of foreign goods and commod¬ 
ities through a number of hands, each of whom by laying a large 
profit thereon, hath a tendency greatly to enhance the prices; and 
that they be further instructed to limit the same unto only one pur¬ 
chaser, from the importer to the retailer. 

Signed bv order of the meeting. 

ARCHIBALD McCLEAN, Chairman. 

June 26, 1779. 

It having been suggested that the committee for the town of York 
had been elected only for the purpose of corresponding with the 
other battalions of this county, and forming committes throughout 
the same, and reporting their sense respecting the proposed regula¬ 
tion of prices, and that when the same was done their power ceased, 
and that another committee should be elected, in order to fix and 
ascertain the real prices of all goods and commodities within the 
same; whereupon, after due notice given for that purpose, a re¬ 
spectable number of the inhabitants of the tow n and district met at 
the Court-House, and resolved as fo lows, viz:— 

1st, Resolved, That a committee, consisting of thirteen persons, 
be chosen by ballot, to represent this town, the said committee to 
continue until the end of the next sitting of the General Assembly, 
or until effectual measures shall be taken by that body for prevent¬ 
ing forestalling, extortion and depreciation. 

2dly, Resolved, That the said committee, or a majority of them, 
do confer w r ith the deputies from the other parts of the county, 
and if it shall appear to be the sense of a majority of the town and 
county that prudent regulations of trade, as well of articles import¬ 
ed as of the produce of the country, be entered into, then that the 
said committee shall agree thereto, and that they be empowered to 
carry the same into execution. 

The ballots being taken, the following persons were chosen of the 



16 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


committee, viz:—David Jameson and Wm. Scott, Esqs., Christopher 
Lauman, Colonel Henry Mil er and John Hay, Archibald McClean, 
Esq., Dr. Peter Mundorff Wm. Alexander, George Gump, Robert 
Gal breath) Esq., Dr. Robert Henry, John Heckendorn and Joseph 
Welshantz. 

June 28, 1779. 

At a meeting of the committee of Yorktown and the deputies from 
the several battalions of this county, agreeable to a former resolve, 
present (the committee of the town above named :—• 

1st battalion—Had not received notice. 

2d do —James Sharp. 

3d do —John McKissock and Jacob Beaver. 

4th do —James Dixon and John McClure. 

5th do —Aquilla Wiley, Michael Geise'man and Jacob 

HaufFelt. 

6th do —Andrew Thompson, Wm. Smyley and Joseph 

Reed, Esq. 

7th do —James Russell and Moses McClean. 

8th do —Nicholas Bedinger, Wm. Guyon and John Clark, Jr. 

Archibald McClean, Esq., unanimously chosen Chairman. 

The resolves of the preceding meetings were again read, and 

agreed to by all present, excepting by the deputies of the Sixth bat¬ 

talion. 

After which it was resolved as followeth, viz:— 

1st, Resolved, unanimously, That we will endeavor by all pru¬ 
dent and just methods to investigate the conduct of all persons 
amongst us, who are trusted with public money and public property, 
and if any misapplication or peculation thereof appears, will report 
the same, with proofs thereof, to the justices, that a speedy stop may 
be put to such nefarious practices, and the de inquents brought to 
condign and exemplary punishment. 

2dly, Resolved, unanimously, That it be recommended to the 
inhabitants of this county that they, as soon as possible, put into 
the loan office as much of their money as they can spare on loan, 
and those who have already lodged money in the office to be ex¬ 
changed will, it is hoped, leave the greater part of the same there, 
and take certificates on interest. [Note —This was a loan for the 
support of government and the army.] 

3dly, Resolved, unanimously, That our representatives in the 
General Assembly be instructed to use their utmost endeavors to 
procure a law to tax all moneys, except such as are paid into the loan 
office, and also a law to lay a double tax on all disaffected persons 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


17 


who have not taken the oath of allegiance and fidelity to this State, 
as prescribed by law, the relaxation of the law with respect to per¬ 
sons of that character being generally complained of. 

June 29, 1779. 

The sub-committee, unto which was committed the ascertaining 
the retail prices, &c., reported as followeth, viz:— 

Bar iron at 7s. 6d. per lb. and £750 per ton. 

Best calf skin at £25 each, and in proportion for such as are of in¬ 
ferior quality. 

Kip skin at 42s. fid. per lb. 

Soal leather, 27s. 6d. per lb. 

Harness leather, 32s. 6d. per lb. 

Upper leather, 37s. 6d. per lb. 

Saddlers and shoemakers to lower their prices in proportion to 
the leather. 

Sugar, from 22s. 6d. to 27s per lb. according to quality. 

Coffee at 21s. 3d. per lb. 

Wheat, per bushel, £6. 

Rye, per bushel, £5. 

Indian corn, per bushel, £4 10s. 

Oats, per bushel, £2 10s. 

Speltz, per bushel, £2 10s. 

Rye liquor, per gallon, £3 15s. 

Reapers and mowers an half bushel of wheat, or value thereof 
per day. 

4thly, Resolved, unanimously, That the said prices before the 
present be agreed to and published, together with an address to the 
good people of this county. 

TO THE FRIENDS OF LIBERTY IN THE COUNTY OF YORK. 

Gentleman —Need we remind our fellow-citizens that the in¬ 
habitants of this county took a very early and decisive part in the 
cause of liberty and their country, at a time when the coasts of the 
continent were overspread with formidable navies, and our cities 
and fields encompassed with numerous armies, all bent on our de¬ 
struction ; at a time when we were almost without arms, without 
ammunition, and without an ally, and in want of almost every nec¬ 
essary for carrying on a war; at a time when the gloomy tyrant, 
with his infernal Council, were at peace with all the European 
Powers, and actually possessed of an army of 50,000 armed and dis¬ 
ciplined ruffians, nursed and educated in the trades of murder, rob¬ 
bery, rape and assassination, carrying fire and desolation through 



18 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


almost every part of the Continent, openly aided by their copper¬ 
faced allies (the savages) and more privately by the tories and par¬ 
ricides amongst us. 

In a contest so unequal, it was the good pleasure of Providence to 
inspire our troops with bravery and resolution in their various con¬ 
flicts against so formidable a foe. A handful of Americans repuls¬ 
ed and disgraced a part of their fleet before Fort Moultrie. Trenton, 
Princeton and Saratoga will long perpetuate the disgrace of the 
British and the Hessian arms. One of the first princes in Europe 
has acknowledged our Independence, and entered into an alliance 
of perfect equality. Those haughty lords of the sea, who impious¬ 
ly presumed to claim omnipotence on that element, have been 
blasted in America and disgraced in Europe. Those boasted con¬ 
querors were compelled to evacuate Philadelphia, and by a mid¬ 
night flight save themselves from utter ruin at Monmouth. 

Yet, while the virtuous and the brave have been sacrificing life 
and fortune to procure the blessings of liberty to their countrymen 
and posterity, a set of extortioners, forestalled, engrossers and 
depredators of our currency, like swarms of locusts from the bot¬ 
tomless pit, threaten to obscure our political horizon and eat up 
every plant of liberty. Some for the love of money (the root of all 
evil,) and others from motives still more detestable to freemen, 
have combined to create an artificial famine in the midst of plenty, 
and to depreciate our currency so as to render it unfit for .a medium 
of trade, and, in short, to enhance all the necessaries and conven¬ 
iences of life to a most enormous extreme. 

In the metropolis and in many of the counties of this State, they 
have chosen committees to consider of ways and means to pre¬ 
vent the increase of the evils so severely felt and to alleviate the 
symptoms, until the Legislative body, in conjunction with the other 
States, shall apply a radical cure. 

A very great majority of the friends of liberty in York county 
have come to sundry resolutions for the purpose of restoring credit 
to our money, to encourage fair trade and dealing, and prevent the 
evils of engrossing, monopolizing and depreciation. And I am di¬ 
rected by the authority of the committee for ascertaining the retail 
prices of all goods and necessaries of life, to publish the following 
prices and rates, for the information of buyer and seller; and in 
case any person shall presume to contravene the sense of the public 
herein, they must expect to be treated as inimical to the liberties of 
America, and held up to the public in that light, and otherwise 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


19 


dealt with according to the utmost rigor of the law. [See the prices 
before inserted.] 

It is expected that all other goods not enumerated will be sold as 
they were on the first day of May last, and that all tradesmen .will 
promote the design of the committee by lowering their prices; and 
also it is recommended to the inhabitants of this county to purchase 
no more than they want for immediate use, as a second regulation 
will be entered into very soon, it having already taken place in 
Philadelphia. 

Signed bv order and in behalf of the committee. 

ARCHIBALD McCLEAN, Chairman. 

Monday, July 12, 1779. 

In committee, Resolved, That two of the members for the town 
do sit at the Court House every afternoon, from six until seven 
o’clock, in rotation, agreeable to the order of the last election, in 
order to receive complaints made against delinquents from time to 
time, and when the case requireth, report the same to the Chair¬ 
man, that, if necessary, the whole committee may be called. A 
true copy from the minutes. 

ARCHIBALD McCLEAN, Chairman. 

Lancaster, Printed by Francis Bailey. 

Notwithstanding the above efforts, Archibald MeClean lost all 
his property, as did hundreds of other patriots throughout the land, 
by the depreciation of the Continental currency. 

Archibald’s eldest daughter, Miss Polly MeClean, with all the 
enthusiasm of the women of those days, devoted her youthful ener¬ 
gies to the cause of her country. She, with Mrs. Eleanor Smith, 
(wife of Hon. James Smith, and formerly Miss Eleanor Armor, of 
New Castle, Del.,) and Miss Betty Bedinger, (afterwards married to 
Major John Clark,) with other patriotic women of Yorktown, 
united in associated effort in supplying the suffering soldiers of the 
army with hospital stores, clothing, and other necessaries. The 
Congress was in session at Yorktown, large barracks were erected 
there, (g) and the Board of War, with straightened means, were 
making every effort to relieve and cheer the army in the gloomy 
aspect of affairs. The burghers of Yorktown were, therefore, called 
upon for their full share of sacrifices. The young men of the town 
all marched off to the wars at an early period. A rifle company 



20 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


under Col. Henry Miller, left Yorktown, for Cambridge, Mass., on 
June 1, 1775, and was attached to Col. Thompson’s regiment. 
Many of them in defending New York, suffered imprisonment and 
death in the sugar houses and prison ships of that city. A romantic 
incident in this connection shows that “the course of true love” 
sometimes does run smooth. An early attachment existed between 
Miss McClean and Ensign Jacob Barnitz, of Col. Swope’s regiment 
of the Flying Camp, a youth of eighteen years. He too, however, 
followed the drum to New York, and, on the heights of Fort Wash¬ 
ington, in the desperate battle of Nov. 16, 1776, he received a ball 
in each leg. He was stripped of everything but his stockings, 
which were filled with blood, and lay where he fell all night and 
until the next evening, when a Hessian soldier approached him, 
and was about to bayonet him. A British officer, however, taking 
compassion upon the helpless youth, interfered and saved his life. 
He was thrown into a wagon and taken a prisoner to the city, 
where he was confined with the other survivors of the American 
army. 

Be assured that there is no rock, nor gnarled cedar, nor grassy 
mound, on all those beautiful and sacred heights of Fort Washing¬ 
ton that the descendants of the 8,000 who there fought and fell on 
that fatal day, do not cherish and venerate for the memory of their 
fathers’ blood. 

Here the young officer remained in suffering and without effectu¬ 
al surgical aid until the 16th of February, 1778, when he was ex¬ 
changed, and, still helpless, removed on a litter to his native home, 
after a painful journey of four weeks. (Congressional documents.) 
A year or two after, though still “a wounded soldier,” he was 
united to the “girl he left behind him.” This youthful hero was 
obliged to lose his leg thirty-two years afterwards, in consequence 
of his wounds. He and his patriotic partner lived in honor and 
usefulness to the age of seventy, with numerous sons and daughters 
to “rise up and call them blessed.” Their oldest son was Hon. 



MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


21 


Charles A. Barnitz, a Whig member of the Twenty-third Congress, 
representing York and Adams counties. 

Archibald McClean’s youngest daughter is Mrs. Hester R. Scud- 
der, of Princeton, New Jersey. She and her venerable husband 
Dr. Jacob Scudder, still live, far beyond three score and ten, and 
fast verging to their century of honor, at the hospitable home near 
Princeton, where they have resided for more than fifty years. 

Moses McClean, another of our old surveyors, in 1776 became a 
Captain in Colonel' Thomas Hartley’s 11th Regiment of the Penn¬ 
sylvania line. From 1780 to 1783 he was a member of the Penn¬ 
sylvania Legislature. lie died in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1809-10. 
Hon. Wm. McClean (of the Adams county courts,) was his son. 
Hon. Moses McClean, a Democratic member of the Twenty-ninth 
Congress, from York and Adams, was his grandson. ( h ) 

From the latter gentleman I learn that Wm. McClean, the sur¬ 
veyor, lived and died a farmer on Carroll’s Tract. “Samuel, John, 
James and Alexander removed to Fayette and Washington coun¬ 
ties, Pennsylvania, and were employed in the early settlement of 
those counties as surveyors. Alexander, the youngest of the seven, 
was for a long time Register and Recorder of Fayette county. At 
that time the office was held under appointment from the Executive, 
and this good old man retained the office through all the changes of 
administration. No man was found hardy enough to ask his re¬ 
moval, until he was compelled by age and infirmities to resign it of 
his own accord.” 

And so ends this chapter of our memories of the old survey and 
of the old surveyors. 

If the busy world of to-day deems that while, like Old Mortality, 
we have thus been newly graving their moss-grown tombs, we have 
performed a thriftless task, let them remember that from such la¬ 
bors the world learns its best lesson, the lesson so to live, that when 
we lie down those who come after us can read on our resting places 
only the legend “Honor!” 

New York, May 25, 1858. 


« 



22 


MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. 


NOTES. 

(а) J. H. B. Latrobe’s address. 

(б) Now Cape Cornelius. From some cause these Capes have 

exchanged names since those days. : * . 

(c) Boyal Philosophical Transactions, vol. 58. 

( d) do do do 

(tf) From a paper in the Historical Magazine of this city for Feb- 
ruary, 1858, by lion. Wra. Darlington, of West Chester, Penn. 

(/) From History of York county, by A. J'. Glossbrenuer, Esq. 
(g) Journal of Congress, Dec. 11, 1777. 


(h) Hon. Wm. McClean, present President and sole Judge of 
the Courts of Adams county, is a great-grandson.— Editor Com 
yiLEP, March 21, 1881. 


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